Conveyor belts



1964 E. H. K. JEFFREY 3,

CONVEYOR BELTS Filed Nov. 7, 1961 2 Sheets-$heet 1 ERA Es T HK JEFFRE)IN VENTOR.

Dec. 1, 1964 E. H. K. JEFFREY 3,159,267

CONVEYOR BELTS Filed Nov. 7, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [kn/EST HK Jmen INVENTOR Arrows) United States Patent 3,159,267 (TONVEYGR BELTS ErnestHarold Kennett .letlrey, Manchester, England, as-

signor to The British Wedge Wire Company Limited, Warrington, England, aBritish company Filed Nov. 7, 1961, Ser. No. 150,698 Claims priority,application Great Britain, Sept. 2, 1961, 31,613/61 2 Claims. (Cl.198193) The present invention relates to conveyor belts of the typewhich includes a number of transverse links of fiat strip or wire incastellated or zig-zag form, the upper edges of which constitute theload carrying surface and Which overlap slightly in a directionlongitudinally of the belt and are mounted on transverse rods spacedlongitudinally of the beltand threaded through holes formed in thecastellated or zig-zag limbs of the links.

In conveyor belts of this kindit is usual for each zigzag or castellatedlink to be mounted on two longitudinally spaced transverse rods witheach rod common to a pair of links and being threaded through holes inlongitudinall r substantially longitudinally disposed limbs of the linkswhere the latter overlap. Each link may extend over the entire width ofthe belt or merely over a portion thereof in which latter event thewidth at each longitudinal part of the conveyor belt is taken up by aplurality of links.

The objects of the present invention are to improve belts of this typenot only from the constructional point of view, but also to meet variousrequirements of use and ease and cheapness of manufacture.

According to the present invention the end of a link at eachlongitudinal side edge of the conveyor i connected to the correspondingend of a transverse rod by a spring fastener or clip which is ofcircular or substantially circular contour and embraces both the linkend and the end of the rod to exert a resilient load substantially inthe plane of the conveyor belt.

Where the last castellated or zig-zag limb of each transverse linkterminates at its outer end in a short foot portion substantially atright angles thereto, each spring fastener preferably is constituted byan annulus having a gap sufficient to permit the passage therethrough ofthe corresponding end of a transverse rod at a slight angle to the axisof the latter and the foot portion of the limb.

Accordingly both the end of the rod and the foot portion become housedwithin the annulus with one bounding edge of the annulus abuttingagainst one face of the limb and a part of the periphery of the rod andthe opposite edge of the gap abutting against both the other face of thelimb in the region Where this merges into the foot portion and thediametrally opposed portion of the periphery of the rod.

The invention is more particularly described with reference to theaccompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment, by way ofexample, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a portion of a conveyor belt showing thespring fasteners or clips at the ends of the castellated or zig-zaglinks and their interconnecting cross rods.

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the belt portion of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a detail showing on an enlarged scale the relationshipbetween one end of a cross rod, the corresponding end of a transverselink and a spring fastener or clip for holding together said link androd ends.

FIGURE 4 is an end view of a clip or fastener before application to anend of a link and an end of a cross rod.

FIGURE 5 is a side view of the clip of FIGURE 4 in the direction of thearrow 5 thereof.

In the construction illustrated in the drawings the trans- 3,l5,27Patented Dec. 1, 1964 yoke portion 15 at an end of the link. The purposeof the holes or slots 12 is to receive the transverse rods 11 and itfollows that their diameter or length, as the case may be, must be atleast sufficient to provide a slight clearance for the passage of therods 11 therethrough.

Each spring fastener or clip, in the particular embodiment illustratedcomprises an annulus 16 of hardened and tempered steel and ofsubstantially cylindrical form but with a gap 17 therein to permit theinsertion of an end of a transverse rod 11 and a foot or part yokeportion 15 of a link 10 into the space bounded by the cylindricalannulus 16, with one bounding edge 18 of the annulus at the gap 17abutting against one face of a limb 13 and a part of the periphery ofthe rod 11 and the other bounding edge 19 at the opposite side of thegap 17 abutting both against the other face of the limb 13 in the regionwhere this merges into the foot portion 15 and the diametrally opposedportion of the periphery of the rod 11. The

bounding edge 18 may be radiused at 2i), i.e. at the outer periphery ofthe annulus 16.

Conveniently and as shown the angle subtended by the arc of the gap 17at the centre of the clip 16 is in the region of 36 when the clip isunloaded. Again where the annular clip 16 has a thickness of 0.048 inchand is intended to receive the end of a cross rod of 0.125 inch indiameter, the effective width of the gap at the inner periphery of theannular clip 16 is in the region of 9.08 inch when the spring isunloaded. In such event the internal diameter of the spring clip may be0.255 inch, its external diameter 0.351 inch, while its length may be inthe region of 0.375 inch. It will be appreciated, however, that thesefigures are given solely by way of example and that they may be modifiedto suit particular requirements.

Where the annular spring clip is cylindrical its outer periphery mayfunction as a suitable rubbing surface for restraining the belt at itslongitudinal edges against wandering to either side along a straightrun. Where the belt is used to negotiate one or more bends in thehorizontal plane of its load carrying surface the spring fastener orclips 16 constitute an efiicient medium for enabling the belt totraverse the bend with the minimum of friction.

It will be appreciated that with a spring fastener or clip 16 theassembly of transverse links 10 and rods 11 to form a conveyor belt issimplified thereby enabling this to be performed, for example, by thepotential user of a belt as distinct from the manufacturer thereof. Italso facilitates the formation of belts of a predetermined width.

Again the spring fastener or clip 16 readily permits removal of atransverse rod 11 or link It? for the purpose of carrying out repairs oradjustments to the conveyor belt of which said link or rod forms a part.

Finally with a spring fastener or clip 16 the links 10 are efiicientlyconnected to their rods 11 to restrain relative articulation between thetwo. In other words the links 10 are prevented from movementlongitudinally of the rods 11 with the result that there is no tendencyfor a link to close in and narrow the width of the belt as a whole.

In the foregoing the invention has been described with 3 I claim:

1. A conveyor belt comprising a'number of transverse links of stripmaterial bent in zig-zag form so as to have transversely spaced limbportions extending generally in the longitudinal directionofthebelt' andtransversely extending-portions connecting-adjacent limb portions ofeach link alternately at th'e le'ading and trailing margins of thelinkwith the top edges of said limb portions and connecting portionsbeingcoplanar and constituting theload carrying surface of the belt,each' link further having openings-in the limb -portions adjacent theleading and trailing margins of the link; said links being arrangedsuccessively with the limbportionsof adjacent links oven lappingslightlyin saidlongitudinal direction of thebelt. so thatsaidopenings-adjacentthe leading ma-rgin ofeach link are alignedtransversely with said openings adjacent theitrai'ling, margin'of theadjacent link; straight rods ex-' tending throughesaid aligned openingsof adjacent links for pivotally connecting the latter, said rods havingend portions projecting transversely beyond 'thelimb portions at,theopposite ends of the links connected thereby; and

points on the surface of the related end portion of therod at theoutside and inside, respectively, of the end limb portion throughwhich'said rod extends.

2. A conveyorbelt as in claim 1; wherein said limb portions at theopposite ends ofeach link have feet directed transversely outwarditherefrom'and lying against said end portions of the rods Within saidlongitudinally split spring "clips;

Reterences'C-itedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS621,548 Travaglini Mar. 21,1899 1,556,108 Harbert Oct. 6,1925 1,674,833'MacChesney June 26, 1928

1. A CONVEYOR BELT COMPRISING A NUMBER OF TRANSVERSE LINKS OF STRIP MATERIAL BENT IN ZIG-ZAG FORM SO AS TO HAVE TRANSVERSELY SPACED LIMB PORTIONS EXTENDING GENERALLY IN THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION OF THE BELT AND TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING PORTIONS CONNECTING ADJACENT LIMB PORTIONS OF EACH LINK ALTERNATELY AT THE LEADING AND TRAILING MARGINS OF THE LINK WITH THE TOP EDGES OF SAID LIMB PORTIONS AND CONNECTING PORTIONS BEING COPLANAR AND CONSTITUTING THE LOAD CARRYING SURFACE OF THE BELT, EACH LINK FURTHER HAVING OPENINGS IN THE LIMB PORTIONS ADJACENT THE LEADING AND TRAILING MARGINS OF THE LINK, SAID LINKS BEING ARRANGED SUCCESSIVELY WITH THE LIMB PORTIONS OF ADJACENT LINKS OVERLAPPING SLIGHTLY IN SAID LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION OF THE BELT SO THAT SAID OPENINGS ADJACENT THE LEADING MARGIN OF EACH LINK ARE ALIGNED TRANSVERSELY WITH SAID OPENINGS ADJACENT THE TRAILING MARGIN OF THE ADJACENT LINK, STRAIGHT RODS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID ALIGNED OPENINGS OF ADJACENT LINKS FOR PIVOTALLY CONNECTING THE LATTER, SAID RODS HAVING END PORTIONS PROJECTING TRANSVERSELY BEYOND THE LIMB PORTIONS AT THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE LINKS CONNECTED THEREBY, AND A CYLINDRICAL SPRING CLIP FOR EACH OF SAID END PORTIONS OF THE RODS, SAID CLIP BEING LONGITUDINALLY SPLIT TO DEFINE LONGITUDINAL EDGES AND A GAP THEREBETWEEN RECEIVING THE RELATED END PORTION OF A ROD, SAID CLIP BEING DISPOSED WITH ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS PERPENDICULAR TO SAID LOAD CARRYING SURFACE OF THE BELT AND WITH SAID LONGITUDINAL EDGES OF THE CLIP IN CLAMPING ENGAGEMENT WITH DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED POINTS ON THE SURFACE OF THE RELATED END PORTION OF THE ROD AT THE OUTSIDE AND INSIDE, RESPECTIVELY, OF THE END LIMB PORTION THROUGH WHICH SAID ROD EXTENDS. 